Bidding Guide 2Z19 Main |
| by Richard Pavlicek |
Artificial bid
A bid that is not related to the named suit or notrump; an example is the Stayman 2 bid
Balanced
A hand pattern with no singleton or void and at most one doubleton; 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2 or 5-3-3-2
Bid
A call that names a number and a suit or notrump
Call
Any bid, pass, double or redouble
Contract
The final bid; more specifically, the trump suit (or notrump) and the number of tricks required
Control
The ability to win the first or second round of a suit at a trump contract; an ace, king, singleton or void
Cue-bid
A bid in the enemy suit, not to suggest that suit as trumps but to force partner to bid
Dealer
The player who deals the cards and is required to make the first call
Declarer
The player who, for his side, first named the suit or notrump of the final bid and will play the hand
Doubleton
A holding of exactly two cards in a suit
Dummy
The partner of the declarer
Forcing
The condition of a bid that partner must not pass and allow it to become the contract
Game
A trick score of 100 or more, which can be made by a bid of at least 3 NT, 4 , 4 , 5 or 5
Grand slam
Any seven-bid; a contract to win all 13 tricks
Honor
Any of the cards: ace, king, queen, jack or ten
Invitational
The condition of a bid that requests partner to bid again if his strength is not minimum
Jump bid
A bid that skips one level of bidding
Jump shift
A jump bid in an unbid suit
Bidding Guide 2Z19 Main | Top Bidding Terminology |
Natural bid
A bid that shows a desire to play in the named suit or notrump; opposite of an artificial bid
Negative double
A form of takeout double that applies after partner has opened the bidding
Nonforcing
The condition of a bid that allows partner to bid or pass according to the merits of his hand
Opening bid
The first bid made in the bidding
Overcall
A bid as the first action by your side after an opponent has made the opening bid
Penalty double
The normal meaning of a double; i.e., to increase the penalty if the final contract is defeated
Preemptive bid
A bid that skips two or more levels of bidding
Preference bid
A minimum bid in the suit partner bid first after partner has bid a second suit
Raise
A bid that increases the level in partners bid suit
Rebid
The second or subsequent bid by the same player
Response
A bid by a player after his partner just previously bid or doubled
Sign-off
The condition of a bid that requires partner to pass
Singleton
A holding of exactly one card in a suit
Slam
Any six-bid; or in general, any six- or seven-bid
Stopper
Protection in a suit, usually for notrump play, at least as good as the ace, K-x, Q-x-x or J-x-x-x
Takeout double
A double that asks partner to bid
Trump fit
A combined holding between you and partner of at least eight cards in a suit expected to be trumps
Unbid suit
A suit that has not been bid by any player
Void
A holding of no cards in a suit; a blank suit
Bidding Guide 2Z19 Main | Top Bidding Terminology |
© 2002 Richard Pavlicek